Squirrel Hill

Distance from Campus: 1.6 miles

One of the largest Pittsburgh neighborhoods, Squirrel Hill is a sloping, residential neighborhood with tree-lined streets 1.6 miles from the Tepper School of Business and five miles from downtown Pittsburgh. Large Tudor homes rest alongside new condominiums and brick row houses, giving this area a comfortable, mature feel and making it popular with families and students. Parking is a mix of private and street, depending on the residence, and the entire neighborhood has easy access to public transportation.

Squirrel Hill’s rich diversity is reflective of its residents. The neighborhood’s earliest inhabitants were Pittsburgh’s elite who left the city following the Civil War and built some of the area’s largest homes. Wealthy residents remain a part of the neighborhood, but they do so alongside local university students. Squirrel Hill is also the center for Pittsburgh’s Jewish community. Eastern European Jews have flocked here since the 1920s, and today, Squirrel Hill is home to more than 33 percent of Pittsburgh’s Jewish population.

The heart of Squirrel Hill can be found at the intersection of Forbes and Murray avenues. This main business district features most of the neighborhood’s restaurants and retail shops. Here, chain restaurants (Dunkin’ Donuts, Subway) sit alongside local businesses (Murray Avenue Grill, Waffallonia) and ethnic restaurants (Coriander India Grill, Bangkok Balcony). Sit for a drink at the Squirrel Hill Café and drop in for a movie at the Manor Theater, one of the oldest theaters in Pittsburgh.